U10s compete with the elite at Saracens

Sunday 7th November 2004

Maidenhead Under 10’s A team mixed it with the best at this Sunday’s Saracens Tournament in North London. A Teams from as far a field as Yorkshire travelled to the event which saw Maids play four very tough games in just over three hours.

Maids 10 Harrow 0

Maids first challenge were a robust team from Harrow. Maids dominated the first half with several piercing runs from back Colin Kerins and centre Matt Balmer. Eventually wing Lewis Kiddell broke through and secured a brilliant individual try covering half of the pitch.

The second half was a much more even game with several Maids players taking heavy knocks defending our line. Matt Balmer finally broke through the tightened Harrow defence to secure the game for Maids.

Maids 0 Sandal 15

Sandal had travelled from Yorkshire for this event and have an impressive tournament track record nationally.

Maids were under heavy pressure almost immediately and endured some relentless attacks from the Sandal backs.

We were unlucky to end the half two tries down and once the Maids pack had got the measure of their Yorkshire rivals they came back fighting. The second half was a more even affair and we were unlucky not to get on to the score sheet. Sandal eventually broke through in the dying seconds to secure their third try. The scoreline wasn’t a true reflection of the game and Maids deserved at least some points on the board for their hard efforts.

Maids 0 Saracens 5

The hosts of this tournament were keen to impress the local crowd having earlier drawn with Tournament favourites Sandal.

Scrum half Kieran Egan set up a superb ball for Balmer, who got the ball out to fly half Dutton who got menacingly close to scoring but was held back inches short of the line.

Against the run of play the Saracens wing broke through our defence and managed to secure a try to take them into the break with the lead. The Maids forwards, Simon Graham, Christian Horn and Marcus Bateson produced some excellent scrummaging and the second half saw Maids play some superb rugby but they were unable to breakdown the Saracens defence and disappointingly Maids lost the game by just one try.

Maids 20 Ruislip 5

Our final game of the tournament was against old rivals Ruislip. Maids had a point to make having lost two games in succession and wanted to prove their class against this determined team.

Maids attacked ferociously and were on the score sheet almost immediately with Dutton scoring following some excellent passing from Ruari Evans and Cameron Foster. Wings Dylon Cadegon and Jonathon Garius were instrumental in setting up the next try for Matt Balmer who broke through three Ruislip players to score.

Two further tries for fly half Dutton put Maids into an unassailable lead and the score line was a true reflection of the dominance of the Maidenhead performance.

Ruislip did eventually pull back a consolation try but only at a stage when Maids had won the game.

Maidenhead Under 10 A team

Colin Kerins, George Dutton, Lewis Kiddell, Ruari Evans, Jonny Garius, Cameron Foster, Mathew Balmer, Marcus Bateson, Simon Graham, Christian Horn, Kieron Egan, Dylon Cadegon.